Attachment for emproidering-machines.



No. 789,063. PATENTED MAY 2, 1905,

P. PRESCOTT.

ATTACHMENT FOR EMBROIDERING MACHINES.

- APPLICATION FILED FEB. 24.1904.

a SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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F3 01: is Fresco Ii.

PATENTED MAY 2, 1905.

F. PRESCOTT. ATTACHMENT FOR EMBROIDERING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 24.1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

No. 789,063. PATENTED MAY 2, 1905. P. PRESCOTT.

ATTACHMENT FOR EMBROIDERING MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED IBB. 24.1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Fran/i Fresco/f.

my WW UNTTED- STATES FRANK PRESCOTT, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OFONE-HALF TO Patented May 2, 1905.

PATENT OEETCE.

GEORGE W. TREMAIN, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

ATTACHMENT FOR EMBROlDERlNG-IVIACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 789,063, dated May 2,1905.

Application filed February 24, 1904. Serial No. 195,118.

To MM w/wm it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK PRESCOTT, a citizen of the United States,residing at St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented new anduseful Improvements in Attachments for Embroidering-Machines, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to a holding attachment for embroidery-machines,and particularly that class known as Swiss embroiderymachines, andincluding means for manual operation thereof, as well as what is knownas a garter, which is generally of wood and surrounds a frame to whichthe goods or portions of a garment to be embroidered are applied and thewhole organization disposed in operative relation to particularlyarranged embroidering-needles.

The present mode of embroidering fabrics or articles of Wearing-apparel,such as skirts, is to pin the skirt, for instance, as the latter comesfrom the manufacturer and having all gores sewed up with the back-seamleft open to a foundation of crinoli'neyli nen, orother analogousmaterial, the said foundation being previously spanned or appliedwithinthe confines of the garter by'meansof hooks and rollers and stretchedfirmly. I This mode of applying a skirt has been found very expensiveand requires too much time. The attachment embodying the features of theinvention includes a plurality of adjustable frames of' a simple andefiective construction and having securing means to which eithersewed-up skirts or other garments or the cut gores or parts of garmentsmay be attached and positively held during the embroidering operation,the frames being adjustable to position them advantageously in relationto the embroidering-needles.

Another advantage of the improved attachment is its capability ofembroideringa sewedup skirt or analogous garment without injury to thegarment and dispensing with the use of any foundation material, andthereby materially reduce the labor and time required to place thegarment into proper position in the garter to receive the embroidery atany exact place required.

The attachment will include in addition to its fullcomplement of framesa plurality of similar frames, to which skirts, gores, or parts ofgarments may be attached during the operation of the machine, inconnection with another set of frames, so that when the latter framesare removed from the garter, carrying skirts, gores, or portions ofgarments in which the embroidery work has been completed, the additionalframes, carrying the other gores or portions of garments, may beimmediately substituted in the garter, and thereby materially save timein the embroidery operation in relation to a number of garments. Theframes are also provided with means for disposing previously marked ormeasured gores or portions of garments therein after one set of thelatter has been spanned up without delay by using the position of thefirst gores or portions as a gage for the ones in the substitute frames.

A further and very important advantage of the present improvedattachment is the ability to install the same in operative relation tothe embroidering-machine with which it is adapted to be used withoutrequiring a difiicult or extensive rearrangement of the parts of suchmachine.

' The attachment includes in its organization a series of elementsunitedly contributing to the expeditious and positive application of theportions of garments or of fabrics to be embroidered thereto withoutinjury to the fabric, and particularly without injuring a complete skirtor other garment applicable to the frames.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a garterof an embroidering-machine, showing a part of the attachment embodyingthe features of the invention disposed therein. Fig. 2 is a view similarto Fig. 1 with the frames adjusted. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective viewof a portion of one extremityof one of the frames and support therefor.vFig. 4 is a perspective View of a portion of one of the frames, showingthe parts open. Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross-section on the line 5 5,Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is an enlarged transverse vertical section on the line 66, Fig. 3.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate correspondingparts in the several views.

The numeral 1 designates the garter of an embroidering-machine of theclass hereinbefore mentioned, and therein is arranged a skeleton supportconsisting of an end bar 2, an inter erence to oneportion of theattachment embodying duplicate structuresin upper and lower positionsfor the sake of brevity only I one set of said structures will bereferred to.

Extending longitudinally from the end bar 2 and intermediate bar 3 aboveand below the central bar 4 are pairs of longitudinal projections 6,connected to an arcuate brace 7, having terminal members 8 extendingtothe bars 4, the-arcuate brace 7 centrally. projecting toward the bar 3.Extending in reverse directions from the bar 3 above and below thecentral bar 4 are pairs of longitudinal projections 9, which arematerially shorter than the projections 6 and connect with elongatedarcuate braces 10. The-arcuate braces have their concave edges disposedtoward the braces 7, and movably arranged between the said braces 7 and10 are holding-frames 11, which in the present instance simulate theshape of skirt-gores, though other contours may be adopted withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

As clearly shown by section in Fig. 3, each brace 7 has a lower oflfsetor supporting-ledge 12 at its inner edge, and the brace 10 is similarlyconstructed or provided at its inner concave edge with a ledge oroffset. At the reduced end of each frame 11 is a connectingbar 13,having anouter concave edge whichis applied to and adjustable on theledge 12 of the brace 7. The opposite enlarged end of the frame has aconnecting-bar 14 with a convex edge supported by and movable on theledge or flange of the brace 10. The opposite terminals of the braces 10are arranged in such manner relatively to the loops 5 that the frames 11when adjusted may be readily moved through the said loops, as clearlyshown by Fig. 2. To hold the ends of each frame in positive adjustedposition, clamps 15 and 16 are hinged, respectively, to the projections6 and 9 and extend over the braces 7 and 10. The clamp 15 has a pair ofside arms '17, hinged to the projections 6 and continuing at their innerterminals into or secured to an areuate clamping member 18, conformingin degree of curvature to the brace .7 and':p1'oject ing over a part ofthe latter. The clamp 16 has side arms 19 hinged to the projections 9and continuinginto or formed wit-h an arcuate member 20, which isadapted to extend over a greaterportion of the brace 10. Both braces 15and 16 have their arcuate members 18 and 20 engaged by clamping-screws21 to hold them against the braces in positive position and bind ontheconnecting-bars 13 and 14 at the opposite ends of each frame. Theclamping member 20 has the same arcuate contour as the brace 10 and ismuch longer than the member 18 of the clamp 15 to positively engage theconnecting-bar 14 at the enlarged end of the frame 11 Each clamp maybereleased by loosening the set or thumb screws 21 and the framesshifted as desired to. bring the'gores or other garment .portionscarried thereby in operative embroidery arrangement relative to theembroidering-needlesembodied in the'machine with which the attachment isused to permit the embroideringoperation to be carried on at some exactpoint inthe gores or garment portions held by the frames. Furthermore,the frames 11 can he easily adjusted in uniform positions relatively toeach other by the employment of the clamps specified without :requiringa removal of the frames from the attachment, and under such conditionsthe gores or garment portions held by the frames may have similar partsthereof embroidered regularly. The ends of I the frames, as clearlyshown by .Figs. 3and 5,are partially embraced between the members 18 and20 of the clamps and the ledgesof the arcuate members, seats beingformed between the latter parts when the clamps are held against thebraces which are deep enough to render the retention of the oppositeends of the frames efiective. The clamps 15.and 16 can be thrownoutwardly at anytime desired to remove a frame or to replace the latterby another, and it is proposed to include with each attachment aplurality of frames, whereby while one set of frames is held in theattachment and has gores or garment portions secured therein andundergoing the embroidering operation another set of such framesmay beprepared or have gores or garment portions applied thereto to replacethose in the attachment, and thusthe gores, garments, or portions ofgarments of alike contour ornature may be rapidly embroideredinsequence. The connecting-bars 13 and 14 are also scaled or divided bymarks into a sufiicient number of proportionate divisions, and thecooperating members .18 and 20 are ,provided with a single mark ornotch, as shown, to operate with said divisions and providefortightening of all frames in exact relative positions. The frames 11 eachhas scale-marks 22 applied to opposite sides thereof, said scalemarksrepresenting inches and fractions of an inch or other measuring systemand adapted for use in properly disposing skirts, gores, or portions ofgarments within the frames in a positive manner or so that a number oflike skirts or portions of garments may occupy the same positionrelative to their widths and lengths to similarly carry on theembroidering operation at the same point or over the same length andwidth of surface with respect to a number of garments or portions of thelatter.

Each frame 11, as shown by Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6, is made up of what maybe termed a rigid back 23, having the side and end bars thereofconnected to each other or continuous, and movable clamping-bars 24 withterminal arms 25 at an angle thereto, the clampingbars being held inconnection with the back 23 through the medium of elongatedoutwardly-projecting looped springs or connec- .nectors 26, formed fromsuitable bands of spring metal and terminally secured, respectively, tothe back and the bars. The arms 25 of the bars when the latter areforced against the back have their ends abutting against each other atthe center of the end bars of said back, and the clamping-bars areforced in close relation to the back by the clamps 15 and 16. By usingthe looped springs or resilient connectors 26 the surplus portions ofthe opposite edges of a skirt or gore are permitted to project beyondthe opposite sides of the frame without injuring the skirt or garmentportion, and by this means also the projecting part of the skirt orgarment portion is protected or shielded during the adjustment of theframe, particularly when the latter is moved through one of the loops 5.In spanning the garment or portion of the latter within the frame itwill be obvious that some means must be employed to positively maintainthe garment or portion in taut stretched condition, and it will beunderstood that it is preferable to use means which will not in theleast injure the fabric. To meet this contingency, the back 23 of eachframe has one side of the connected side and end bars formed with anangular seat 27, including a maximum angular projection 28, extendingoutwardly from a maximum angular depression 29, the inner and outerportions of the seat continuing into straight shoulders 30. Cooperatingwith the seat 27 are corresponding maximum projections 31 anddepressions 32, formed in the inner sides of the clamping-bars and theirarms 24, the said clamping-bars also having shoulders 33 to coincidewith the shoulders 30. When the garment or portion of the latter isdisposed between the back 23 and clamping-bars 24 and the latter forcedtoward the back 23, the garment or part of the latter will be firmlyheld between the back and clamping-bars without injury to the fabric andwith material advantage in spanning up the garment or part of thelatter. By means of the structure just set forth the garment or part ofthe latter may be more expeditiously applied to and removed from theframe.

The attachment will be found exceptionally useful inembroidering-machines of not only the particular type heretofore setforth, but in other machines. It is proposed to vary the proportionswhenever found necessary and also the details of construction, and thematerials used will be those best adapted for the purpose. It will alsobe understood that the attachment may be used in connection withmachines operated by power generated by motors or otherwise and is notconfined exclusivel y to manually-operated embroideringmachines. As theembroidering machine forms no part of the present invention, it has notbeen referred to in detail or shown in the accompanying drawings, theattachment being adapted for application to difierent types ofembroidering-machines using a garter or surrounding frame.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1.An attachment of the character specified, com prising a support havingend bars and longitudinal connecting-bars, and frames adjustably mountedin the support, said longitudinal bars being each formed with openingsto receive the frames in movement.

2. In an attachment of the character specified, a support having endbars and longitudinal connecting-bars, frames adjustably mounted in thesupport, each of said longitudinal bars being constructed with aloop-form opening to receive the frames in movement, and means forsecuring the frames in adjusted position.

3. In an attachment of the character specified, a support comprising endbars and longitudinal connecting bars, frames adjustably mounted in thesupport, each of said longitudinal bars being constructed with aloopform opening to receive the frames in movement, and clamps forsecuring the frames in adjusted position. y

t. An attachment of the character specified comprising supports havingend bars and longitudinal connecting-bars, frames adjustably mounted inthe supports, each of said longitudinal bars being constructed with aloopform opening to receive the frames in movement, and means forsecuring the frames in adjusted positions, said frames havingclamping-bars cooperating therewith.

5. An attachment of the character specified comprising a support havingend bars and longitudinal connecting-bars, braces connecting thelongitudinal bars, frames formed at their opposite ends to fit thebraces'and movable thereon, each of said longitudinal bars beingconstructed with a loop-form opening to receive the frames in movement,and means for securing the frames in position.

6. In an attachment of the characterispeci- In testimonywhereofl afiixmy signaturein fied, end bars, longitudinal connecting-bars, presence oftwo witnesses. and frames adjustably mounted intermediate theconnecting-bars,-each ofsaid connecting- 5 .bars :being formedintermediate .its ends of Witnesses:

two members spaced apart vto provide .open- W. S. HEPBURN, ingstoreceive the frames in movement. G. W. RANKIN.

FRANK PRESCOTT.

